Brothers
by thebonron
Summary: My version Season 1, with a bigger focus on Nathan. Lucas has just joined the the team. Dan, desperate to get him off the team, is bugging Nathan to do something about it. Also some Leyton and Naley.
1. Intro

Sixteen year-old Nathan Scott sat on his bed, listening to his iPod. He only had ten minutes to waste before he had to be out the door, in the car that his parents let him use when he needed it, and on his way to basketball practice. He wouldn't have minded skipping practice and just hanging out with his girlfriend Peyton for the rest of the day, but Tree Hill was not a very large town, so if he was late for practice, his dad would be sure to hear about it.

Besides, he had to be on top of his game now for a couple of different reasons. Junior year was important, since scouts were already starting to look at him. But that was something his dad constantly talked about; Nathan didn't even start thinking about college. What worried him, though he'd never admit it to anyone, was Lucas Scott, Dan's bastard son. Ever since he had joined the team at the beginning of the year, it felt like the kid was snatching things from him right and left. Whitey had already given the kid his position and he heard people say that he was already considering making him captain. To top it all off, Nathan had seen him talking to Peyton a couple of times and it made him feel uneasy. They'd been fighting a lot lately and when she was talking to Lucas, she's just seemed so _happy_. The last thing he needed was for the bastard to snatch Peyton away too.

Dan, of course, was livid. Not about Peyton—he couldn't care less about who his son was dating as long as it didn't interfere with his basketball performance. Dan was furious with Whitey for even allowing his illegitimate son to join the team alongside Nathan and he was even angrier about the fact that the kid now held Nathan's position. It was unthinkable. As a result, Dan now pushed Nathan twice as hard as he did before, with the early morning runs and afternoons spent lifting weights. On top of all that, he also bugged Nathan about the fact that Lucas was still on the team, hassling him to _do something about the fact that the kid is still on the team. _

When Lucas first joined the team, Nathan couldn't have cared less. In fact, it was almost good that he had, since the team was in serious trouble following the stealing of the school bus that resulted in the suspension of half the team. It's when his father started hassling him about it that Nathan started to get fed up with Lucas. If it weren't for that bastard spawn, his dad would not be hammering him day and night. His dad would finally get off his back.

That was why Nathan made it his goal in life to get Lucas off the team. He almost felt like the reason Dan was so bothered by Lucas's being part of the team was because he understood how good he really was. It was almost as though he felt that Lucas was a threat to Nathan. Of course, Nathan was determined to prove him wrong, so he started the whole rivalry with Luke. He wanted to prove to everyone that Whitey had made a mistake when he let Lucas join the team and that the bastard didn't deserve to wear the jersey. He had to prove that he was the best.

With all of this in mind, Nathan got into the SUV and drove to the gym. As he was driving, his cell phone rang. He briefly thought of his mother, who would kill him for talking on his phone while driving, but picked it up anyway.

"Hey," he said, without asking who was calling. "Can't talk for long, I'm just heading to practice."

"Oh," Peyton replied. "Well, I just wanted to tell you that cheer got cancelled today."

"Why?"

"Lanie fell and sprained her ankle. By the time the ambulance came, it was nearly five o'clock, so the coach just told us to go home. So I'm free, if you want to hang out."

"I just told you that I have practice. I can't."

"Nate, you totally annihilated the last three teams. Everyone knows that you're good. Can't you skip one practice? You said that we'd see each other this week…"

Nathan considered the suggestion for a moment, but then thought of his dad. "Peyton, now's not a good time for me to skip practice. We'll hang out on Friday, OK?"

"You have a game on Friday," Peyton pointed out.

"Yeah, but after that we're all going to Tim's house to celebrate our win. You should come."

"Nathan, that's hardly what I would call us hanging out. Half the team will be there."

"Peyton, you know that I have to go," Nathan replied. "It's for the team. And since you are my girlfriend I want you to be there. We'll do something on our own some other time."

"Yeah, we'll go to another party or we'll make out in your car. Nathan, have you ever considered the fact that I might not enjoy hanging out with your friends. That I might want to do other things."

"Well what do you enjoy, besides your lame music and your stupid webcast? You never want to do anything fun."

Nathan stared at his phone for a moment, realizing that he had gone too far. "Look Peyt," he said when she didn't reply. "I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean anything, it's just that I'm under a lot of pressure from my dad and stuff. I'm sorry."

"Fine. Whatever," he heard Peyton's voice across the phone.

"So we're good?"

"Yeah. I guess."

"And you'll come to the party?"

"Yeah. Sure."

"Good," Nathan said. "Now I have to go, but I'll call you later, OK?"

He hung up without waiting for her to reply. If he had stayed on the line for a little bit longer, he would have heard her say, "It's not OK."


	2. Bad Day

AN: I had to change the rating to "M" because of _one _little word… Other than that, there's hardly any "adult content" in here.

Nathan's day just kept on getting better. By the time Nathan had parked the car, dropped off his bag at his locker, changed, and walked into the gym, the rest of the team was doing lay-ups. Whitey yelled at him for being late and then made him run a couple of laps around the gym. When Nathan finally joined the rest of the guys warm-up, Tim pulled him aside and told him that Dan came in before practice to talk to Whitey and, when he didn't see Nathan amid the guys, asked them where he was.

"Great," Nathan said. "Now he's going to hammer me about being late when I get home."

"Whatever, dude. Just say your car broke down."

"No, he just had the car fixed a week ago. If I even suggest that anything's wrong with it, he'll go to the repair shop and want it checked out."

"Say you ran out of gas. That always works with my folks."

"Then he'll hammer me for letting that happen. He just gave me the spiel about how if I'm old enough to drive his car, I'm old enough to fill up the tank when it's out of gas."

"Whatever, dude," Tim said, simultaneously catching a basketball Jake Jiegalski had thrown at him. "I'm just throwing out suggestions here. Do what you want."

"That's the thing," Nathan started, but was interrupted by Whitey, who had walked over to them while they were talking.

"Nathan! Tim! I hate to interrupt this little tea party you have going on, but we're in the middle of a little something I like to call warm-up. Get your heads out of your asses and start playing!"

Nathan swore he saw Lucas snicker out of the corner of his eye and made a mental note to deal with him later. But for once Nathan wasn't the one to start the fight, because while Whitey was turned around talking to another player, Lucas came up to him, pushing him back a bit.

"Telling Tim about why Peyton dumped you, moron?"

Nathan was never one to let things go and as soon as Lucas mentioned his girlfriend, he flew at him with force, knocking him to the ground. Before anyone could see what was going on, the two brothers were rolling around the floor, trying to kill each other.

Of course, it wasn't long before everyone in the gym was watching what was going on. By that time, Whitey was in between them, pulling them apart.

"Unbelievable! You guys just don't seem to understand that this is a team! How many times have I had to pull you apart in the last two weeks? Since neither of you seems to understand that you have to work together, practice is over for both of you. If I ever have to do this again, you'll be suspended from the next three games. Now go home!"

With that, Nathan and Lucas Scott left the gym with everyone in there looking at them.

"Nice going, moron," Nathan said, when they were both in the locker room. "Because of you we both got kicked out of practice."

"Me? You're the one who jumped at me," Lucas retaliated.

"Well, who started talking about Peyton? Huh?"

"If she didn't dump you yet, she'll dump you soon. Just watch."

"What the hell?"

"Can't you tell how _happy_ she is with you?" Lucas asked sarcastically. "She's so _happy_ that the two of you can't go a day without fighting."

"Since when did what I do with my girlfriend become your business? You're lucky that we're in the gym or I'd punch you again."

"You've got me so scared," Lucas threw back at him. "But I'd say the same to you."

"Stay away from my girlfriend."

"Hey it's not like I forced her to talk to me. She came to me."

Nathan was about to say something, but Lucas had already walked out of the locker room.

The last thing Nathan wanted to do was go home and face Dan, so he just sat in his car for the remaining forty minutes of practice. He thought about what Lucas had said. Had Peyton really gone over to Lucas's house to talk to him? Or was he just saying that to bug him? Either way, he didn't like the way Lucas kept talking about Peyton. The way he described it, it almost seemed like she liked him back. And Nathan didn't like that at all.

Deciding to call her when he got home Nathan waited out the remaining forty minutes and drove back to his house. By the time he got home Dan and Deb were waiting for him at the kitchen table.

"Sit down and have some dinner, Nathan," Deb said when she saw him come in. "We have to talk to you."

_Shit, _Nathan thought. _Did Whitey call or something? I didn't think he would…_

"Why? Did I do something?" It was rare for the family of three to eat dinner together. Usually they'd all just grab whatever they could find in the fridge or just order in a pizza or something.

"No, nothing new, really," Deb said. "But I did get a call from your school today."

Nathan held his breath, hoping it wasn't about his getting sent home from practice.

"Nathan, when I asked you how your grades were, you said that you were doing fine," Dan spoke up from his place at the head of the table. "Now we find out that you're failing English and math?"

Nathan exhaled. While he wasn't exactly excited about having to talk to his parents about his not-so-good grades, it was better than telling them about practice. His bad grades were nothing new.

"Well I was, but then we had this test and it was hard…"

"Nathan, do you realize that if you don't get your grades up you could get kicked off the team? You need at least a "C" average to participate in extracurricular activities," Dan looked at his son.

"I know that and I'll get it up, I promise. It's just that we're kind of going through a tough unit in math… Don't worry, I won't get kicked off the team."

"Nathan, I'm less concerned about basketball and more concerned about you passing your junior year. Would you want to be held back a year?"

"I won't, Mom, you worry too much…"

"Maybe that's true and although your father and I have different reasons for it, we both agree on one thing—you really need to get your grades up," Deb looked at her son.

"Yeah, I know," Nathan nodded. "And I will."

"Unfortunately we've heard that before," Dan said. "And we can't take the risk of you failing the term or, even worse, the year. So we're signing you up for tutoring."

"What?" Nathan said. "What do you mean?"

"Tutoring. Every Tuesday and Thursday after school you'll spend that spare hour before practice in the school library. They'll find you someone that will help you get your grades up."

"No way! Tutoring is for geeks."

"Nathan, this isn't open for discussion," said Dan, giving him one of his steely looks. "Like I said, we can't risk you failing the year. So you're going to the tutoring sessions."

"Honey, it won't be so bad," added Deb. "It's just an extra two hours a week. And it will make learning things at school easier for you."

"Mom, you don't understand! I can't have everyone know that I'm failing! I'll be the laughing stock of the whole school."

"Nate, I'm sure that some of your friends aren't doing much better. Besides, it's not like anyone has to know. How often do your friends go to the library?"

"It doesn't matter. Word will get around. I'm not going."

"Yes, you are," Dan said, raising his voice ever so slightly. "You don't get a choice in this."

"And what if I don't go?" Nathan retorted, knowing full well that he was pushing it.

"Then you'll be grounded until your next report card," Deb replied. "Take your pick."

Dan didn't say anything, but gave Nathan a look that said that what he was going to do to him if he didn't go to the sessions would make Deb's idea of a punishment sound tame.

"Fine!" Nathan yelled, getting up from the table. "I'll do the fucking tutoring!" 

"Language!" Deb yelled, but Nathan was already up the stairs, slamming the door to his room.

"I didn't think that he would react this way," Deb said. "Two days a week really isn't so bad."

"It was to be expected," replied Dan. "But he'll get over it."

Nathan, meanwhile, was lying face down on his bed, wanting to kill his parents. This wasn't fair. If the whole school found out about the fact that he was struggling in school, it would just give straight-A student Lucas another reason to pinpoint to everyone that he was the best.


	3. First Tutoring Session

Two days later it was all arranged. On Tuesdays and Thursdays Nathan was to go into the school library right after class ended and spend an hour there, going over his work with his tutor. After tutoring, he was to go to practice. While Nathan was definitely not happy about the arrangement his parents have made, he decided to keep his mouth shut, at least for now. He would start handing his work in on time again and by the end of next semester, his grades would move up a bit. Then, if he played his cards right, his parents would get off his back and let him quit tutoring.

On the following Thursday Nathan walked into the library. A couple of kids were already sitting down at some of the tables with their books open. Nathan wasn't sure about what he was supposed to do, so he just stood there, staring at the kids. He even noticed two guys from the basketball team crouched over a math text book. They both pretended not to have seen each other.

Nathan was about to ask someone about what he was supposed to do when a girl with auburn hair came in._ She isn't bad-looking_, Nathan observed.

"Hi Nathan," she said. "I'm Haley James, your tutor."

"Hey," Nathan said. "I know who you are. We've been going to the same school since kindergarten."

"Well, yeah, I know that. But it's not like we've ever talked or anything."

"Yeah, I guess we haven't," Nathan replied, realizing that what she had said was true. It was rare for him to talk or hang out with anyone outside his group of basketball buddies and the girls they hung out with, mostly cheerleaders and volleyball players.

"Anyways," Nathan said, trying to make up for the sudden awkward silence between them. "I was beginning to think that you wouldn't show up."

"Don't count on it. I was held up in one of my classes today, but that's not going to repeat itself. We're going to start on the clock, every single day."

"Works with me," Nathan said. "Do you even know what we're supposed to be doing? Because my parents made me get a tutor and I don't even know what they expect to happen once I do."

"Nathan, you're forgetting that I get paid for this. Of course I know what to do. Why don't you sit down and show me what your English teacher assigned this week?" 

"Ok," Nathan said, taking out his binder. "We have to read _To Kill a Mockingbird_ and then write an essay on it."

"Well, okay. Did you start reading the book?" Haley asked.

"Kind of… I read the first two chapters."

"Okay… When's the essay due?"

"Next Friday."

"Well then, you better start reading it," Haley said. "It seems like you have forever to write the essay, but you really don't."

"Yeah, I will," Nathan replied, bored.

"I'm serious, Nathan. I want you to either be finished reading it or pretty darn close to it by the time I see you next week."

"Fine."

"Okay, then. Let's see your math homework."

Nathan showed Haley his trigonometry homework. He was having trouble understanding it, so Haley spent the remainder of the time explaining it to him. Nathan nodded along, trying to pretend like he was making sense of what she was saying to him. In reality, he was trying not to stare at Haley. She was actually quite pretty—he was surprised that he had never noticed her before.

"So, Nathan," Haley looked at him. "Our time here's done. Do you feel like this is helping you?"

"I guess," Nathan nodded. "I'm starting to understand the concept of trigonometry. Just barely, though."

"Well, there's always next week. See you on Tuesday?" 

"Sure. But Haley?" Nathan asked, before he had time to think about what he was doing.

"Yeah?"

"Want to meet up somewhere else next time? It's hard for me to concentrate in the library, you know?"

"I don't know… Where would we go?"

"How about that coffee shop everyone goes to. It's right next to the school."

"Karen's Café? The little café that belongs to Lucas's mom and the one where I happen to work? Seriously, Nathan?"

"No, not Karen's Café. The one across from it. Come on, Haley. Do you really think I'm crazy enough to show up at Karen's Café, where Lucas's mom works?"

"Well, it's not like I know you that well…" Haley smiled. "But either way, Nathan, I think it'd be best if we stuck to the library. You probably don't know this, but I'm best friends with Lucas."

"Are you dating him?" Nathan asked, trying not to sound surprised or upset.

"No. We're just friends. You know, people that are nice to each other even though they don't have to be?"

"You're funny," said Nathan. "But so what if you're friends with him? You can't go out of the school without his permission?"

"It's not that. As far as I'm concerned, the two of you don't really get along. I don't want to start things."

"Come on, Haley, you can't not do what you want to do just because Lucas wouldn't like it."

"Who said that this is about Lucas" Haley threw back at him. "What if I just don't want to go to that café with you?"

"Then that's okay, we'll just continue meeting at the library. Or I'll get another tutor or something. But something tells me that this is something that you want to do."

"You just don't give up, do you?" Haley smiled. "But tell you what, Nathan. I'll come if you, a) finish _To Kill a Mockingbird_ and b) leave Lucas alone and don't give him such a hard time about joining the team. Do we have a deal?"

"We have a deal," Nathan smiled. "See you next week."

"See you next week," Haley replied, gathering up her things. "I'm taking a chance on you Nathan. You better not be up to anything."

"Don't worry…" Nathan started, but by the time he looked up from his book, Haley was already gone.

_Why did I just do that? _Nathan thought while gathering his things together. _Maybe Haley's right and I am just trying to start things with Lucas. Not to mention Peyton. But I do like her. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this goes…_


End file.
